


Beyond the Woods

by NeptuneCat15



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:01:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23032126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeptuneCat15/pseuds/NeptuneCat15
Summary: Ink had always dreamed of the forest. Her father had always told her stories of a young tom cat that had went to live in the wild and grew to be a feirce, and brave leader. But when she entered the forest, she was chased away with ready claws and bared fangs. But the young she-cat was determined that if the legendary clans didn't want her, she'd create her own and they'd prosper where none had before.
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

Smudge looked out over his fence and into the forest. He was much older now and he assumed his best friend was just the same. He could still recall the time he'd thought he'd been summoned out to the forest like Rusty had, but his friend had been there to reassure him that it wasn't the same. Spirits had been calling desparately for help and Smudge had given them Rusty. Somehow he always knew his life would be perfect with his housefolk, but the ginger tom he'd spent the first few months with had a greater destiny in the woods with a bunch of strays.

"Daddy!" A young voice called and he looked down to see his kit trying to claw her way up the fence. She was only a few months old, but she was learning quickly. It scared him most of the time because she acted so much like Rusty had. The little kit would stare out into the forest all day if she could. She would tell him extravvagant dreams of things neither of them had ever experienced and he only summed it up to the forest - calling her like it had to hid best friend.

He purred when she made it up the fence and pulled her close to him so she wouldn't fall off. "You know, Ink," he started, giving the top of her head a few licks. She wasn't really his kit, but his housefolk had gotten her not too long ago and he'd taken up the role of her father as best he could. The pitch black she-kit was hard to see most of the time in the shadows or the dark and he knew her life wasn't destined to be with housefolk like his was.

Her unusual vibrant green eyes stared up at him expectantly as she waited for him to speak. She was too young to go off on her own now, but one day he'd have to let her go. "Deep in the woods are tales of cats," He looked into the woods and thought he saw a flash of ginger. "Legends of wild cats, brave and bold who live by a code that protects them. Cats who sleep under the stars and feed off of the land."

Ink was enraptured by his stories. He told her of all that he knew and all that had happened. His little kit flexed her claws and looked out into the woods when he was finished speaking. "What happened to Rusty?" She asked, her fur pricked in excitement.

"He still lives out there, leading his clan, strong and deserving." Smudge said, gently grooming his kit.

"One day," She declared, startling him. "One day I will go into the forest and be one of the great cats you speak of." Her eyes wore down with sleepiness and Smudge knew that his little kit was different than the others. If he could cry like his housefolk, he would, but he only purred.

"I know you will," He murmured as she drifted into sleep. He picked her up by her scruff and jumped back into his garden, carrying her into the house to take her to her bed. ' _That's what I'm afriad of,'_ Smudge thought as he laid her sleeping form on the bed next to the stuffed toy his housefolk had gotten her so she wasn't lonely while she slept. "You'll make a great clan cat one day, just like Rusty."


	2. Chapter 2

The forest was dark and deep, but it's where she had longed to be for a long while. The young she-cat, barely even 6 moons old, looked back at her father. The old tom was resting on the back steps to the house, watching her with sad eyes. Ink dipped her head to him and jumped on top of the fence. She belonged in the forest, she knew it. Ever since she was a kit she understood that she didn't belong in the house with housefolk. She belonged in the woods with the clans. Clans that her father had taken time to tell her about even though he knew one day he'd lose her to them.

"Don't die on me, Ink," Smudge called out to her, worry edging his words. "I couldn't bear to know that you've gone."

She purred, a mixture of sadness and happiness coursed through her. She was sad to leave him alone, sad to go, but happy to be able to follow her dreams. Happy that she knew he'd be fine. "Live the rest of your life worry free knowing that one day I'll be one of the great cats of the forest." She jumped back into the garden and ran to Smudge to give him one last lick. "Thank you for raising me, but it is time for me to face my own journey, wherever that and my paws lead me."

"I know," he sighed. "I've been dreading and awaiting this day ever since I knew the forest would be taking you away from me." He nuzzled her cheek and nodded her on. "You always were older than your age. I remember at your age I was only interested in when my next meal was. You're planning a whole life ahead of you." He purred and closed his eyes, afraid that if he'd watch her leave, he'd beg her to stay. Ink knew it to, so she placed a final goodbye into her mind and took off. The she-cat disappeared over the top of the fence and her paws met the grass of the forest beyond.

Ink avoided trying to scent for prey, avoided trying to get distracted. She needed to find clan cats and ask to join them. But the forest was beautiful and she could only imagine what its depths held. A whole new world to explore. A world that would welcome -

"Kittypet!" A voice yelled and hissed. Ink was confronted by three cats, a dark brown tabby tom, a pale tabby tom, and a small dusky brown she-cat. They weren't welcoming and instead were hostile and cold. They barely gave her a chance to speak as they came upon her, hissing and aggressive. She understood that they were protecting their territory, but she'd not caused any harm. She'd not posed a threat. She was only a kit. "Leave! Go back to your twolegs, where you belong! You do not belong in the forest!"

Ink made not to hiss back at them, but her fur raised and on instinct she unsheathed her claws in preparation to defend herself. She may have not had any training, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Yet she was only still a kit in their standards, or from what she'd heard from Smudge. They were all taller than her and older. Couldn't they see she was no threat? "Please," She asked, her voice bold, but uncertain. She wasn't trained, but she was determined. "I cause no harm! I've not stolen your prey nor harmed you. I only want to join . . ."

She was cut off by a his from the dark brown tabby. "This clan does not need another mouth to feed!" He snarled and slashed at her.

"Duskpelt, she's only a kit," the female interjected. 

"She can go back to her twolegs then, with Firestar gone on his quest, we can not risk another mouth to feed. Let's send her off," The dark tabby, who she assumed was Duskpelt, retorted, flexing his claws.

"Mousefur, maybe Duskpelt is right. We cannot afford to bring another cat into the clan when even our leader is temporarily away. If she wants to join a clan, send her elsewhere." The pale tabby tom had a tone of reason, but he regarded her warily. Ink tried to make herself smaller, but it clicked that maybe they most likely didn't have such a good reputation with outsiders. But Smudge was sure that his best friend Rusty was now leader of one of these clans. Yet they didn't even let her have a word of reason and she could assume that none of them were the leader of this clan. 

"You forget where our leader comes from," The she-cat, Mousefur, spoke. "Let's take her to Graystripe and he can decide - "

Ink cleared her throat and it caught their attention. "I mean no disrespect and I can understand if you do not wish to have me. I realize that I intruded rudely and have caused strife. If you so wish, I will leave. My father had always spoke fondly of the wild cats. Perhaps another of your clans would take a kit like me in." Her voice squeaked with her youth and Ink tried not to be cross with these cats, yet she knew she was meant for the forest and the forest for her. She couldn't imagine going back to Smudge or the housefolk.

"You are very articulate for a young one," Mousefur commented. "Maybe the forest just isn't right for you. Perhaps Tallstar would offer you a change, young kit." The dusky brown she-cat looked at her clanmates before speaking again. "I shall take this young one to the border peacefully and ensure she leaves our forest. Go back and report to Graystripe. I'll take this kit to Fourtrees and then return." The two toms looked skeptical, but when they left, Mousefur returned her attention back to the kit. 

"You couldn't take me to this Graystripe you speak of and let me ask him for permission to be with your clan?" Ink asked, knowing she was most likely pulling at strings here, but she'd really thought the forest could've been her home. To be a clan cat, to be a part of something just bigger than living and surviving.

Mousefur started their trekk, making sure to go slower for Ink's small legs. "No, little one," the she-cat shook her head and helped Ink over a particularly large stream. "I have a feeling that your time belongs elsewhere."

After that, Mousefur didn't speak anymore and Ink didn't push her. The kit followed close to Mousefur, not wanting to get lost. Maybe this Tallstar would accept her. The walk exhausted Ink by the time they got to Fourtrees. Mousefur stopped before the hollow and smiled kindly at the black she-kit. "The moor beyond is Windclan territory. If you cannot find refuge there, please, don't hesitate to come ask for shelter at least until our leader gets back. Despite what Dustpelt says, you'd be a welcome addition to help our clan, but I know this isn't where you belong. Your destiny is elsewhere."

Ink smiled. "All I can ask is your help, thank you." The black kit turned to the hollow and descended. Not wanting to waste any time, she hastily made her way to the other side of Fourtrees and clambered up the other side and out into the moor. It was wide open and peaceful, but the further in it's depths that she went, the more she missed the trees. She missed the green and the shade and the foliage. But she couldn't go back. Her eyes were focused on her path forward, but her mind was stuck on what Mousefur had said. Was she really meant for a life beyond these clans?  
  
"Halt!" The sound of, once again, hostile cats met Ink's ears. In truth, the young she-kit only wanted a place to rest. Her paws were sore and she hadn't eaten anything since the early morning when the housefolk had filled her and Smudge's bowls with food. Ink willingly stopped and sat down, hunching over as she tried to curb her exhaustion. When the clan cats got closer, she straightened her spine and sat upright, wanting to impress them. Then again, she was only a kit and this was the furthest she had ever walked in a single day.

"State your presence here, rogue." One of the cats snarled and Ink flinched at his tone. He was a tall, sleek tom with burning amber eyes and she could sense his open resentment towards her. 

"Take it easy, Tornear. She's obviously exhausted, and still a kit if I might add." The she-cat's gaze was kind, but when Ink thought she saw a shadow of a ghost heading beyond the moor, she knew that what Mousefur had said was true. This moor couldn't be her home. She was sure of it now that she recognized the dark shadow as one of the few Starclan warriors she'd often dreamt of. A tortoiseshell she-cat called Spottedleaf.

Ink caught her breath and dipped her head respectfully towards the warriors. "I merely seek a place to spend the night. I am on a journey to find where I belong. I thought I wanted to belong here, but I know now that your clans are not my home." She still sounded like a kit and it was probably the only thing that saved her from the claws of the warriors that only wanted to protect what was their's.

"Let's bring her back to camp, Tallstar can decide what should happen from there. She's only a kit, searching for a place to stay the night. Would you want a kit alone on these moors at night?" The she-cat turned to the rest of her patrol and none of them spoke out against her. She picked up Ink by the scruff of her neck and the small kit was glad to be able to take the pressure off of her paws.

They raced through the moor's grass with incredible speed and when they reaced the camp, Ink was allowed on her paws. She followed the warrior's into their camp and ignored the stares of curiousity she got from the rest of the camp. Of course Ink didn't know anything about the clans, but she at least knew something about cats. They'd all be curious of her, but as she felt a familiar presence at her back, it reassured her that this was not meant to be her home. Although disdain at possibly having a long, dangerous road ahead and not being able to see her father at a later date, she knew she was needed for something mroe.

"What is this, Rabbitbelly? Why do you bring a kit into our camp?" The tom that spoke was tall with a long tail. He looked and sounded old and Ink could only marvel at what he'd seen through his lifetime.

The she-cat, Rabbitbelly, dipped her head to her leader. "Tallstar," She spoke. "This kit meerly asks for a nest for the night before her journey in the morning."

Tallstar's gaze met her's and she stepped forward, feeling inclined to speak. "I am Ink. I'm only six moons old, but ever since I could walk, I've felt like I've been called into the forest, but I only learned today that my paws and my path lies beyond your borders. I do not wish to steal your food nor waste your time, I only ask for a place to spend the night."

"How can I send a kit out into the world alone with no training?" Tallstar stared her down, but he voiced even her own fears. She wasn't prepared to travel alone. She wasn't preapared to defend herself by whatever her path would through at her, but she had no answer for the leader of Windclan. "You may stay here for as long as need. Learn the ways of the clan, then leave."

Sadly, even though she appreciated the offer and almost ever fiber of her wanted to accept, she shook her head. Her journey would start tomorrow whether she was ready or not. "I will head out tomorrow at sun-up. My path is not with the clans and I'm afriad I'd deter from what has been laid out for me if I stay here. I appreciate your offer though."

Tallstar bowed. "Then I wish you well wherever Starclan guides your pawsteps young one. Rabbitbelly, please show her to a nest for the night." Tallstar stared at her curiously for a moment before he returned to his clan duties.

"Have you ever had a rabbit, Ink?" Rabbitbelly asked, guiding Ink towards a pile where she noticied there was dead creatures. Food to provide for the clan. Ink shook her head and Rabbitbelly picked a small rabbit from the pile. She continued to walk and they made over to a nest made of grass that wasn't in a den, but under the open sky. There were other nests around it and Rabbitbelly took Ink over to one that smelled like her. "Sleep here tonight, eat this rabbit. Tomorrow, I will personally be there to send you on your way."

Ink took a grateful bite out of the rabbit and wondered why she could have ever thought that what the housefolk fed her was food. Rabbitbelly shared the rabbit with her and then took the remains away when Ink had her fill. Curling up in a ball, Ink allowed herself to relax and drifted off into sleep. _'Starclan,'_ she thought. _'I hope you're right about this. I could really fit in here if you just let me.'_ But the young she-cat knew that tomorrow would start her journey and that one day she'd find her place.


End file.
